Pierce County Council 2022 Priorities

2022 PRIORITIES

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ABOUT THE COUNCIL The Pierce County Council is the legislative branch of Pierce County government and is the policy-determining body of the county, as provided by the County Charter. The Council has all powers of the county not otherwise reserved to the people, the Executive, or general law. Members are elected from seven contiguous and equally populated districts. Each councilmember represents a district having a population of approximately 131,500 people and is elected to a four-year term.

MISSION OF THE COUNCIL The Council works to ensure that Pierce County is an exceptional place for families, individuals, and businesses to grow and be successful. The Council establishes the policies that guide county government, allocates the county’s financial resources, and monitors the efficiency and effectiveness of county government. The Council is transparent in its actions and accountable to its constituents.

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2022 COUNCIL PRIORITIES This document outlines the 2022 priorities of the Pierce County Council.

Council held a retreat March 3, 2022, in Council Chambers to review its 2021 priorities and look to the coming year.

Through its review, the 2021 priorities were refined to reflect progress made in the previous year and updated to carry into 2022. While the 10 theme areas from 2021 remain priorities in 2022, a key theme that emerged for 2022 is Public Safety.

Council will emphasize these areas through its legislative and budgetary activities in 2022.

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areas of high priority identified by Council

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PRIORITIES COVID-19 Response & Recovery Responding to and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic including monitoring impacts and allocation of budgeted funding to mitigate social and economic impacts.

Housing Affordability & Supply Increasing the supply and diversity of housing that is accessible to very low-, low- and middle-income households is a key priority. Housing opportunities in the urban growth area will be emphasized.

Homelessness & Stable Housing Reducing the number of people entering homelessness, reducing veteran homelessness, cutting the time to achieve housing stabilization, and ending street homelessness are high priorities.

Social Justice & Equity Addressing community disparities and advancing social equity and cultural competency throughout the county are key priorities. Eliminating institutional inequities through county systems is key objective.

Public Safety Increase hiring/retention of law enforcement personnel, tracking results of Sheriff’s wellness program, advancement of civilian oversight, addressing property crimes, exploring approaches to compensate victims of crime, and monitoring post-COVID jail capacity are areas of emphasis.

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PRIORITIES Economy & Workforce Job creation, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and a business-friendly environment are Council priorities. Retention of businesses and supporting business start-ups will be emphasized.

Behavioral Health Systems Improving the capabilities of the local behavioral health system is a Council priority.

Preventive and responsive behavioral health services, system resources, outcomes, and leveraging of investments are areas of emphasis.

Youth & Young Adults Improving health and social outcomes and supports for children, preparing adolescents and young adults to enter the workforce, and fostering community partnerships to support youth are priority areas.

Environment & Sustainability The quality of the built and natural environment and sustainability are high priorities. The health of Puget Sound, greenhouse gas reduction, water quality, salmon recovery, and livability and walkability of communities will be emphasized.

Infrastructure Needs Assessing and meeting community infrastructure needs are priorities. Transportation system capacity, transit availability, water supply, electrification of all modes of travel, broadband internet expansion, water systems and access to parks and trails are focus areas.

Leadership & Innovation Leadership and the delivery of results are key priorities. Enhancing the county’s and Council’s reputation as an inclusive, collaborative, and innovative team that is responsive to the changing needs and opportunities are key elements. Regional leadership is also a focus.

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POLICY & BUDGET PRIORITIES 2022-2023 COVID RESPONSE & RECOVERY Activities: Continue to support public health response including coordination with Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and Pierce County Department of Emergency Management.

Continue to support programs that provide pandemic aid to individuals, households, and businesses.

Monitor state and federal legislative activity and act quickly in response to opportunities for pandemic related funding.

Advance innovative programs and investments that focus on new workforce and business modalities, and community services.

Understand and monitor American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)/COVID-19 recovery funding progress and outcomes.

Review funding allocation and encumbrances, and retain flexibility to re-allocate funding through review, to assure resources are dedicated to best serve recovery needs.

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HOUSING AFFORDABILITY & SUPPLY Activities: Implement the comprehensive housing plan that focuses on increasing housing supply and diversity at all levels with a focus on very low-, low- and middle-income households; including the missing middle.

Promote collaboration and partnership between housing authorities in Pierce County, and proactively advocate and solicit engagement with mission-based housing development for private investment.

Promote and support efforts to increase the supply of income restricted housing units in the community, and mixed income housing projects and high-density housing projects served by transit.

Promote education and pathways towards homeownership.

Review and advance tools and regulations affecting housing affordability and consider regulatory and financial incentives to encourage an affordable housing supply, such as bonding, taxexempt financing, multi-family tax exemptions, and surplus land policy.

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HOMELESSNESS & STABLE HOUSING Activities: Lead regional and county-wide approaches to addressing homelessness in the community.

Consider and implement policies and plans to end street and veteran homelessness, prevent homelessness, and reduce the time for the homeless to achieve housing stability.

Account and monitor effectiveness of programs and partner stakeholders in serving and addressing stable housing and homelessness.

Lead and take responsibility to create and account as a regional government on this issue with partner communities and stakeholders, with stated check in points and/or metrics. County to establish a Unified Regional Office on Homeless or other model to corral expertise and buy-in with stakeholders.

SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY Activities: Consider the establishment of an Office of Equity to review and assess programs for equity, including boards and commissions.

Consider implementing the recommendations provided by the Equity Review Committee regarding the following countywide policies and programs: (1) a DEI policy; (2) an equity index that includes health measures; (3) an equity note process using the equity index to analyze legislation, and major programs and investments; and (4) cultural competency training.

Support the formation of the new Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs and consider a process by which recommendations are brought before the Council.

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PUBLIC SAFETY Activities: Review and support efforts and best practices to increase the hiring and retention of law enforcement personnel, including tracking the effectiveness of the wellness program.

Investigate and support efforts to reduce crime in Pierce County (including but not limited to property crimes, violent crimes, illegal dumping and vandalism).

Monitor the progress and effectiveness of co-responder programs, including Trueblood-funded programs.

Address support for continued social services and programs for justice-involved individuals, and for efforts to educate the public on other available community resources.

Monitor and address the impacts of COVID on Sheriff’s Department, jail, and courts.

Consider a citizen oversight of law enforcement model.

Advocate further reform in law and justice areas with Pierce County delegation.

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ECONOMY & WORKFORCE Activities: Adopt an Economic Development Strategy with clear core values and goals and appropriate metrics and indicators to measure progress.

Support programs that encourage entrepreneurship and new business start-ups in the community.

Promote tools and partnerships that encourage job creation, support workforce development, and reduce Pierce County’s unemployment rate relative to its peers.

Develop and implement a pilot business corridor plan on Pacific Avenue.

Promote arts and culture, tourism, and creative businesses.

Recognize the economic contribution of Joint Base LewisMcChord, members of the military, and military families.

YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS Activities: Consider the creation of a permanent endowment for children.

Consider a process for the allocation of the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA) with the support of our Birth to 25 Advisory Board.

Promote policies and programs which improve health outcomes and supports for children (ages 0-5).

Support efforts to increase park and recreation opportunities for youth.

Support efforts to prepare adolescents/young adults (ages 1525) to successfully enter the workforce.

Promote partnerships with school districts and community organizations to support youth.

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEMS Activities: Support the full programming of behavioral health investments (Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Tax) in the community.

Promote actions which place Pierce County on a path to best behavioral health system in Washington.

Monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of selected services and programs receiving funding from the Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Courts Tax; review gaps in the system to address barriers in continuity of care from programs (i.e., corrections/courts) for housing, counseling, workforce, and substances abuse.

Advance preventive and crisis response services, identify and promote coordination and access to resources and provider information, including but not limited to coordination of providers and expansion of 211 system.

Support and advance policy to expand opioid abuse to greater issue of substance abuse and related deaths.

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ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY Activities: Implement the greenhouse gas reduction plan Sustainability 2030.

Participate in efforts to recover Puget Sound including efforts to improve watershed health and reduce point and non-point sources of water pollution.

Support efforts to restore/protect stream flows and to remove barriers to fish passage.

Promote high quality built urban environments that are walkable and livable.

Promote the protection of resource lands and the continued viability of farming and forestry.

Advance policy and programming related to environmental stewardship and climate change resiliency, including the establishment of appropriate performance measures and metrics.

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INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS Activities: Continue developing a transportation system funding approach to meet the current and future needs of residents, businesses, and industry.

Support the implementation of a bus rapid transit system in the Pacific Avenue corridor and pursue the expansion of transit service in the unincorporated urban growth area.

Continue to promote the availability and affordability of broadband internet service in the community.

Expand opportunities for access to parks, trails, and nature.

Create appropriate metrics and evaluate that quantity and quality of park, community and recreational needs being met.

Encourage the development of infrastructure to support the electrification of all travel modes.

Use one-time funding to make measured progress on sustainability goals, and create a measurable framework to evaluate success.

Plan and program infrastructure to support the execution of other programs such as BRT, affordable housing production, economic activity and other adopted high priority plans and programming.

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LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION Activities: Actively participate in regional bodies such as the Puget Sound Regional Council and Pierce County Regional Council and seek opportunities to be proactive on regional approaches to challenges such as growth management, homelessness, and climate change.

Promote civic engagement, community dialog, and volunteerism on county boards and commissions.

Strongly advocate for the needs of Pierce County at the state and federal level.

Promote open and transparent public processes and respectful dialog between elected officials and the community.

Consider and advance innovative programs and systems and support data-based decision making.

Lead and advance economic development strategies and opportunities at the county and regional levels.

Advance the Blue Zone initiative in areas of Council’s purview.

Lead regionally on advancing initiatives and programming on homelessness, and proactively attract and convene stakeholders with metrics and leverage funds.

Promote policies and investments that accommodate future incorporation or annexation of unincorporated areas to advance local governance and the provision of municipal services.

Solicit recommendations and advance equity through the use of external boards and commission to inform county policy and programming of funds.